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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28497198">It's Raining, It's Pouring</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Larabeara66/pseuds/Larabeara66'>Larabeara66</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Martian (2015), The Martian - All Media Types, The Martian - Andy Weir</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Mark and his parents, Mark is back on Earth, Rain, Swearing, Tiny bit of Angst, becasue it wouldn't be The Martian fanfiction if Mark didn't swear at least once</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:29:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,383</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28497198</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Larabeara66/pseuds/Larabeara66</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>She couldn't tell you how many nights she spent like that: standing in his doorway, staring at an empty bed, her whole body screaming with pain, eyes dead as she imagined all the things that could be happening to her baby. </p><p>But this was slightly different. When Mark was up there, up on Mars, nothing had been certain. And that left Lynn feeling terrified, a terror so deep, so wrenching, that she couldn't breathe.<br/>This was a lot like that, however, one thing was certain:</p><p>Mark should be in bed. Not 'should' as in that's where Mark belongs, but he can't be there, but 'should' as in there was absolutely no reason why Mark shouldn't be in bed. </p><p>Unless something bad had happened. </p><p>Or:</p><p>One rainy morning, Lynn Watney discovers that her son isn't in bed, and goes looking for him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mark Watney &amp; Other(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>61</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>It's Raining, It's Pouring</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So this isn't my best writing, but I couldn't get the idea out of my head, so here! Hope you enjoy :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Every light pitter-patter of her steps was accompanied by the sound of the old floorboards creaking. </p><p>Step, creak…</p><p>Step, creak…</p><p>Step, creak…</p><p>It would have been maddening, if it weren’t for the fact that it filled the silence of the old, Chicago house. And Lynn Watney would take anything over silence. </p><p>It was not yet late enough to turn the lights on, which left her in the dark. The sun should have been rising, casting enough light to illuminate the hallway, but it was covered by thick, grey clouds that were dropping raindrop after raindrop down towards Earth. </p><p>The other two occupants of the house were still asleep. Her husband, in their bedroom, where she had just left. And their adult son, sleeping in the room just across the hall. Most likely, they were still asleep. It was only 5:20 in the morning, after all. She hoped they were still asleep: no one, including herself, had been sleeping well. </p><p>It was all due to a certain fourth-planet-from-the-sun. </p><p>Mark had been back on Earth for about five weeks. Two of them were spent in quarantine (which was infuriating, to say the least, knowing that you were that close, but still not being able to see him) making sure he had no 'Mars Cooties' as he put it. Then, another week and a half in the hospital before NASA finally let them take him home. </p><p>He was living with them for the foreseeable future. Not only did Lynn and James want their only son as close as possible, but the bank had frozen Mark’s account when he was announced dead, and no matter how many times they insisted that he was alive, the bank wouldn’t do anything until Mark himself was sitting in front of them. They even had Teddy Sanders on the phone one time, but even then, they couldn't stop his house from being sold. </p><p>It was for the best, either way. Mark was still having a hard time adjusting, and rightly so. </p><p>Which is why Lynn couldn't help but stop outside his door and peek her head in. </p><p>It was also why her heart stopped beating when she saw that he wasn’t in bed. </p><p>She couldn't tell you how many nights she spent like that: standing in his doorway, staring at an empty bed, her whole body screaming with pain, eyes dead as she imagined all the things that could be happening to her baby. </p><p>But this was slightly different. When Mark was up there, up on Mars, nothing had been certain. And that left Lynn feeling terrified, a terror so deep, so wrenching, that she couldn't breathe. </p><p>This was a lot like that, however, one thing was certain:</p><p>Mark should be in bed. Not 'should' as in that's where Mark belongs, but he can't be there, but 'should' as in there was absolutely no reason why Mark shouldn't be in bed. </p><p>Unless something bad had happened. </p><p>Lynn stood there for only another moment, before spinning on her heel and calling, "Mark?" </p><p>Her voice seemed to echo around the old house, but there was no reply. </p><p>"Mark?" She called again, this time louder. When still there was no reply, her voice grew more panicked. </p><p>"Mark?!"</p><p>"What's wrong?" James came stumbling out of their room, pyjamas rumpled and salt and pepper hair sticking up in every direction. </p><p>"I can't find Mark." Lynn said, voice a whisper. </p><p>"You can't find- what do you mean? He isn't in his room?" Her husband was looking more awake by the second. </p><p>Lynn shook her head, and James furrowed his brow and in a few short strides was checking their son's room for himself. Sure enough, it was empty. </p><p>"Where could he have gone?" He asked, head darting around, looking for Mark. When he saw nothing, he joined his wife in calling his name. </p><p>It quickly became apparent that he wasn't upstairs, so both of them hurried downstairs, all the while calling his name and getting no response. </p><p>Lynn's heart was beating impossibly fast as they went through every room, checking every nook and cranny. The last time they'd done such an extensive search was when a two year old Mark had decided to hide from them because they refused to give him ice cream for breakfast. </p><p>Lynn almost missed him. Her eyes were scanning over the kitchen, and at first they skipped right over him. Thankfully, they went back, otherwise she might have had a heart attack. </p><p>She saw him through the kitchen window.<br/>
There Mark was, in his pyjamas, standing outside in the pouring rain with both arms outstretched, face to the sky. </p><p>Lynn could have cried, she was so relieved. </p><p>"I found him!"</p><p>James came rushing into the kitchen, eyes flashing around the room. He spotted Lynn pointing at the window and sagged in relief as soon as he saw.<br/>
"What the hell is he doing?" James asked, voice exasperated and full of relief. </p><p>Lynn didn't answer, just moved quickly to the back door. She swung it open, and, not caring about how hard the rain was coming down, or the fact that she was barefoot, she stepped outside. </p><p>"Mark!" She called, however he made no indication that he heard her. "What the hell are you doing?"<br/>
Lynn closed the gap between them, feet making a squelching noise as she stepped in the muddy, wet grass. James was just a step behind her. </p><p>“Mark?” James asked as Lynn stopped just in front of him. He quickly moved so that he was on Mark’s other side. </p><p>For a moment, Mark still didn't say anything. His eyes were closed, head still facing the sky. Based on lack of response, Lynn thought that maybe he was sleepwalking, however suddenly Mark laughed. </p><p>“It’s raining.” He said, opening his eyes and moving his head to look at each of his parents in turn. “It’s raining!” </p><p>He let out another laugh, ever so slightly hysterical as he dropped his arms. He sighed. “Oh my god, it’s raining.” </p><p>Lynn peered closely at her son, and only then did she notice the slight redness of his eyes, telling her that there was more than just rain on his cheeks. It was only then that it dawned on her. </p><p>This was the first time that Mark had felt rain in almost two and a half years. </p><p>He may have thought that he’d never feel rain again. </p><p>It pained Lynn greatly to think that, but she pushed that last thought away, instead telling herself that he did get to feel it again. She wrapped her arms around Mark, who was taller than her by only a few inches, which let her comfortably rest her head on his soaked shoulder. James seemed to reach the same conclusion, and he also joined the hug. He towered over the both of them, so he rested his chin on Mark’s head. </p><p>They stayed like that for several moments. Lynn would never, ever get tired of the feeling of having her baby with her like this; she vowed never to let him go to space again. They’d been hugging him a lot ever since he got back (partially because psychiatrists had told them that he was no doubt touch starved, and needed some additional human contact, but mostly because their son had been stuck on another planet for a year and a half) and most times he would groan and joke about how clingy they were being, but then he would curl into them and practically melt, so they knew he didn't mind very much. </p><p>However, this time he only let them hug him for a few moments. “Guys,” He said, voice slightly muffled by parent. “you know I love you, but you’re blocking my rain.” </p><p>Lynn blinked, pulled away slightly so she could look at Mark, and saw him giving her an expectant look. </p><p>“I-” She shook her head slightly, a chuckle rising in her throat. She and James both pulled away, and Mark sighed, spreading his arms out once more and looking back up at the bleak sky. </p><p>“I fucking missed this.” He said simply, closing his eyes. </p><p>It rained for another twenty-three minutes, and they spent every single second outside. It was wet, freezing, and gloomy, but they were together, and that was all that mattered.</p>
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